


A Vow To Fight

by watcherofworlds



Series: A Friendship Forged in Struggle [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 18:45:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8458807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watcherofworlds/pseuds/watcherofworlds
Summary: On the day Congress declares war on Japan, Steve informs Bucky of his desire to enlist. Bucky doesn't approve, fearing that Steve will get himself killed and he'll be left to face the wrath of Sarah Rogers upon his own death, but agrees to enlist with Steve in order to protect him if by some miracle he does actually get accepted.





	

_December  9, 1941_

  Steve was antsy. Congress had officially declared war on Japan, and he was determined to be involved in the war effort, and not just by building weapons and tanks. He wanted to fight for his country on the front lines. He hadn't told Bucky yet because he knew he wouldn't approve. Steve knew he would have to talk to him about it eventually, though. The war was all anyone would talk about, and even if Bucky didn't approve of his decision to enlist, he would at least understand it, which was more than he was getting from his classmates at Auburndale. Every conversation he had had with them about it had gone something like this:

"Did you hear about Congress declaring war on Japan?"

"Yeah. Crazy right? I didn't even know they were capable of acting that quickly!"

"Yeah. You going to enlist?"

"Not a chance. If I don't get drafted then I'm not going."

"Come on. Where's your sense of patriotism?"

"My life is more important to me than patriotism, pal."

"It might not make a difference.  There's a possibility you could die either way."

"Yeah, but at least this way I'll have a better chance of living to see the end of this war."

  All in all, it was disappointing to discover how few people he knew that loved their country enough to give their lives to defending it.

  _I guess they just don't see it the same way I do,_ Steve thought as he walked home that day. _Most of their parents were probably born here, so they  probably never taught them to think of this place as a land of  opportunity the way my mom taught me. They just don't see the point of sacrificing themselves to defend freedoms they assume they'll always have anyway. How sad._

  When Steve got home, he tossed his school bag on his couch and threw himself down after it. He had homework to do, but he put it off, promising himself that he'd take care of it later. He rested his head on his school bag and fell asleep.

   The sound of the door opening and closing woke him. He opened his eyes and saw Bucky standing by the door, frozen in the process of putting his key in the dish near it.

"Hey," he said. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Not at all," Steve mumbled sleepily. "I was just...passing the time." His statement was punctuated by a yawn. Bucky grinned in amusement.

"So..." Steve said. "Crazy what's happening with the war, huh?" Bucky looked askance at him.

"Oh no," he said. "I am _not_  having an angry Irish woman hounding me in the afterlife." Steve frowned.

"What?"

"I'm not stupid, Steve. I know you're only bringing up the war because you want to enlist. And I'm telling you, it's not gonna happen. With my luck, you'll get yourself killed fighting, and then where will I be? I've dealt with your mom when she was angry when she was alive, I'm not real anxious to go through that experience again after I die."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, if you get killed fighting, who do you think she's going to blame for letting you go in the first place, huh?"

"You might not be able to stop me. I might get drafted. Then it wouldn't be your fault." Bucky looked Steve up and down.

"That would be nice," he said. "But I don't think you're gonna get drafted, Steve."

"Fine," Steve replied. "Then there's only one way to make sure she isn't angry with you, isn't there?"

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"You gotta enlist with me. That way you can protect me out there on the front lines." Bucky sighed heavily.

"Fine," he said. "Since you're so dead set on enlisting,if by some miracle you get accepted then I'm coming with you because there's no way in hell I'm letting you go into that alone."

"Great!" Steve said. "We'll be like brothers-in-arms." Bucky frowned. He didn't seem as enthused by that prospect as Steve had been expecting.

"Whatever you say, Steve," he said. "Whatever you say."


End file.
